Notes: See
here for tips on the best types of pan to use and how to properly flip pancakes.
This recipe is easily doubled to make more. If you have any leftovers, they freeze really well too!
OTHER FLOUR OPTIONS:
White whole wheat flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat pastry flour. However, regular whole wheat flour's heartier taste may overpower the delicate flavor of the buttermilk, so the pancakes can sometimes taste like plain whole wheat pancakes instead.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, I recommend the following blend: ½ cup (60g)
millet flour, ½ cup (60g)
tapioca flour, 2 tbsp (15g)
brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon
xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like
this one!) will work as well, if measured
like this.
BUTTER SUBSTITUTES: Stick-style vegan butter, coconut oil (melted!), or any oil may be substituted for the unsalted butter.
IMPORTANT BUTTERMILK NOTES: You must use buttermilk in this recipe. It’s more acidic than regular milk, which is required to react with the baking soda and baking powder.
As a buttermilk substitute, I highly recommend
this powdered buttermilk. It’s shelf-stable and keeps for ages. Simply mix 2 tablespoons with ½ cup of water to yield the buttermilk required by this recipe.
Alternatively, measure out 1 ½ teaspoons of vinegar into a measuring cup, and pour in regular milk (just about any should work — nonfat, 1%, 2%, or your preferred dairy-free milk!) until you reach the ½-cup mark. However, this second method will not yield the same iconic buttermilk flavor.
PURE MAPLE SYRUP NOTES: My family usually drizzles more maple syrup over their cooked pancakes, which is why the amount is so small! If you prefer sweeter pancakes, you can easily add more to the batter.
Honey or
agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
IF YOUR BATTER IS TOO THICK: This recipe yields a thick batter to create the thickest, fluffiest pancakes. If the batter is too thick for your liking or will not pour and spread in the pan, add up to ¼ cup of additional buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}